Place-marking device

ABSTRACT

This invention comprises a place mark for knitting instructions, the place mark having holding means for holding a sheet of instructions, base means for maintaining the holding means in an upright position, and marking means for marking a selected place on the knitting instruction sheet.

United States Patent Inventor Wilma K. Gibbon 7309 Kingsburg, University City, Mo. 63130 Appl. No. 16,500

Filed Mar. 4, 1970 Patented Oct. 5, 1971 PLACE-MARKING DEVICE 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 116/119, 281/42, 281/45 Int. Cl B42d 9/00 Field of Search 1 16/ 1 19,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Seymour Shumaker Gray Adams Woodley Lemperle Armand-Dumais Tinsler Primary Examiner-Louis .1. Capozi Attorney-Kingsland, Rogers, Ezell, Eilers & Robbins ABSTRACT: This invention comprises a place mark for knitting instructions, the place mark having holding means for holding a sheet of instructions, base means for maintaining the holding means in an upright position, and marking means for marking a selected place on the knitting instruction sheet.

PLACE-MARKING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION To knit most any item, such as for example a sweater, requires the knitter to follow a detailed set of knitting instructions. The more complex and intricate the pattern of the item, the more detailed will be the instructions. Thus, for example, a sweater having a variety of colors and textured patterns will require the knitter to carefully follow a very detailed set of instructions. The following is an example:

I(2*inc 1 st in next st 8 times, K I; repeat from End inc 1 st in next st, K 2 (2 sts added in each scallop multiple now 12 sts plus 3). Break offW .loin P.

Because of the nature of the instructions and particularly the abbreviated code used, it is very easy to inadvertently skip a row or even one or more stitches within a row. Of course, when this happens an unsightly flaw occurs. The knitter may knit several rows before the mistake is noticed. The result-is a good deal of aggravation and time lost in unraveling the knitting to a point before the flaw occurred. Hence, it is imperative that the instructions be closely followed. Unfortunately, a great deal of aggravation is caused in trying to knit and follow the instructions at the same time, because the knitting instructions are printed on paper sheets and are, therefore, not self-supporting. The knitter is constantly bothered with having to find some way of holding the sheet in a position so that she can read the sheet without having to interrupt her knitting. Because of the rhythm developed by most knitters this kind of constant interruption can be most irritating. The problem is made worse when longer interruptions occur, as it then becomes more difficult for the knitter to remember where she left off.

It is, therefore, desirable to provide a device that makes it easy for a knitter to follow the knitting instructions, can be used to mark the knitter's place should she be interrupted, and holds the instructions in position so that they can be easily followed without interruption. This invention provides such a device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The place marker of this invention has a holder formed with a narrow U-shaped slot into which a sheet of knitting instructions is inserted. The holder has a backwall with a base joined thereto. A weight is provided in the base to insure that the holder is maintained in an upright position. A marker is slidably mounted to the front wall of the holder to slide horizontally along the front wall. The marker can, therefore, be placed at any position along a select row of knitting instructions. A clip is provided at an open end of the holder to hold this end closed after a sheet of knitting instructions is inserted in the slot. The slot is sufficiently long to accommodate a standard sheet of knitting instructions and is sufficiently narrow to hold the instructions in any selected position.

After the sheet of instructions is inserted in the slot, it can be moved vertically to position any selected row behind the marker. The marker is then moved to any selected position along that row. As the knitter completes the row she simply moves the sheet vertically to the next row and so on until she completes that sheet of instructions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a top plan view of the place marker of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the invention of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a view in section, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in section, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view on a reduced scale of the invention of FIG. 1 in combination with a knitting instruction sheet, with the device placed in the upright position on a table; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the invention as illustrated in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing there is shown a knitting stand 10 having a base 12 and a holder 14. The holder 14 is of generally U-shaped cross section with the bottom of the U forming the side 16 of the holder and the top of the U forming the other side 18 of the holder. The holder is formed by folding a strip of plastic or sheet metal back on itself so that the ends 20 and 22 of the strip form the end 18 of the holder. The fold at the side 16 of the holder is a fairly sharp fold resulting in a narrow U- shaped slot 24 having a front wall 25 and a rear wall 26. It is in this slot 24 that the knitting instructions are inserted. Hence, the length of the strip and, therefore, the slot 24, should be such as to accommodate a standard sheet of knitting instructions 27 (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

One end ofa small chain 28 is mounted to the end 20 by any suitable means such as a rivet or bolt 29. The other end of the chain 28 is connected to a clip such as a spring clip 30. The chain 28 could also be a string or cord or any suitable flexible connecting means.

Attached to the front wall 25 of the holder 14 is a slide pointer 40. The slide pointer 40 like the holder 14, is made of a strip of material such as plastic or metal sheet that is folded around the front wall 25, of the holder I4. Hence, the pointer 40 has a front wall 41 and a rear wall 42 with a fold formed at the bottom 43 of the pointer 40. The fold is sharp enough to provide a close fit between the walls 41 and 42 of this pointer and the front wall 25 of the holder I4 offering some resistance to the sliding of the pointer 40 along the wall 25. The pointer 40 has a top portion 44 extending vertically upward beyond the top edge of the holder 14. The top portion 44 has sides 46 and 48 which are tapered to a point 50. The front walls and backwalls 41 and 42 of the pointer 40 are joined at a seam S2 in the top portion 44.

The base 12 is also formed by folding a strip of material such as plastic or sheet metal. It is shown as made generally in the shape of a triangle having sides 60, 62 and 64. The triangular base is closed along a seam 66. The side of the base 62, which is preferably the longest side, is mounted to the back side 26 of the holder 14 and positioned substantially in the center of the holder 14.

A weight 70 is attached to the back corner 72 of the base 12 to prevent the knitting stand from falling forward. The weight 70 can be made from any suitable material such as lead, or a block of plastic. The weight 70 does not have to be very large or very heavy because of the relatively lightweight materials from which the remainder of the knitting stand is made.

The joints 52 and 66, the mounting of the base 12 to holder 14, and the mounting of the weight 70 to the base 12 is made by any suitable means such as by gluing or cementing, the only limitation being that whatever mounting means is used for the base 12, it should not extend into the slot 24, as this might snag the sheet of knitting instructions as it is pulled through the slot.

USE AND OPERATION To use the stand 10 the spring clip 30 is removed from the end 18 of the holder 14. Because the holder 14 is made by folding a strip of material to form a narrow U-shaped slot 24 there will be a slight spring to the holder 14 allowing a sheet of knitting instructions to be inserted into the slot 24. The sheet 27 will actually lie within the slot 24 between the backwall 26 of the holder 14 and the backwall 42 of the slide pointer 40. The slot 24 is made sufficiently wide to allow the pointer 40 to be moved on the front wall 25 of the holder 14 without tearing the sheet. After the sheet is inserted in the slot 24, the clip 30 is clipped over the end 18 of the holder 14 to hold the sheet firmly within the slot 24. With the clip 30 in place, the sheet is pulled up or down to position the desired row of instructions just in back of the point 50 of the slide pointer 40. The slide pointer 40 is then moved to the appropriate position along the row.

Then, as best illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawing, the knitting stand is placed on a suitable platform 75 such as a table or a chair cushion where the knitter can easily read the instructions. As the knitter completes each row of the instructions the instruction sheet is then moved to position the next row in back of the point 50 of the pointer 40. If for any reason the knitter is interrupted she can place the pointer 40 to the exact spot where she left off before the interruption. As best shown in FIG. 6, if the instruction sheet 27 protrudes from the bottom of the holder, the knitting stand can be placed on the platform with the bottom of the sheet extending out the bottom and forward of the holder 14.

While the device is shown standing vertically (see FIGS. 5 and 6) it may be preferable, such as where the support 75 is relatively low, for it to incline to the rear. Such an inclination can be easily accomplished by either mounting the base 12 with its bottom edge a predetermined distance above the bottom edge of the holder 14, or tapering the bottom edge of the base 12 upward toward the back comer 72. Either of these techniques will allow the device to lean backward.

Various changes and modifications may be made within this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A place marker for knitting instructions comprising a member of generally U-shaped cross section forming a substantial vertical slot within which a sheet of knitting instructions is inserted and held in a selective substantially upright position, the slot being sufficiently thin to frictionally grip the sheet of instructions between the walls of the vertical slot preventing its free movement therein, the member having horizontal edge means associated therewith for marking a selective row of the instructions, means for marking a selected horizontal position along a row of the instructions, and base means mounted exclusively to the member for supporting the member in an upright position whereby the member serves to hold the knitting instructions, as a line marker, and as a base mount.

2. The place marker of claim 1 wherein the U-shaped slot has an open end through which the instructions are inserted and including means for holding the open end closed.

3. The place marker of claim 1 wherein the horizontal marking means is slidably mounted to the front wall of the member to allow selective horizontal positioning of the horizontal marking means along the front wall of the member, whereby the member also serves as an exclusive support for the horizontal marking means.

4. The place marker of claim 3 wherein the horizontal marking means is formed with a horizontal slot through which the front wall of the member is inserted for slidable engagement of the horizontal marking means with the front wall of the member and the marking means has a top portion tapered to a point to provide the mark.

5. The place marker of claim 1 wherein the base means is generally triangular in shape with one side of the base joined to the backwall of the member, and including weighting means located in the back corner of the base means for maintaining the member in the upright position. 

1. A place marker for knitting instructions comprising a member of generally U-shaped cross section forming a substantial vertical slot within which a sheet of knitting instructions is inserted and held in a selective substantially upright position, the slot being sufficiently thin to frictionally grip the sheet of instructions between the walls of the vertical slot preventing its free movement therein, the member having horizontal edge means associated therewith for marking a selective row of the instructions, means for marking a selected horizontal position along a row of the instructions, and base means mounted exclusively to the member for supporting the member in an upright position whereby the member serves to hold the knitting instructions, as a line marker, and as a base mount.
 2. The place marker of claim 1 wherein the U-shaped slot has an open end through which the instructions are inserted and including means for holding the open end closed.
 3. The place marker of claim 1 wherein the horizontal marking means is slidably mounted to the front wall of the member to allow selective horizontal positioning of the horizontal marking means along the front wall of the member, whereby the member also serves as an exclusive support for the horizontal marking means.
 4. The place marker of claim 3 wherein the horizontal marking means is formed with a horizontal slot through which the front wall of the member is inserted for slidable engagement of the hOrizontal marking means with the front wall of the member and the marking means has a top portion tapered to a point to provide the mark.
 5. The place marker of claim 1 wherein the base means is generally triangular in shape with one side of the base joined to the backwall of the member, and including weighting means located in the back corner of the base means for maintaining the member in the upright position. 